Morris Dees Highlight of Martin Luther King Celebration

Contact:

Several community activities are planned at Colby College in Waterville to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, including a keynote address by anti-Klan lawyer Morris Dees, a musical celebration and a movie marathon. All activities are free of charge and everyone is welcome.

On Monday, January 15, at noon Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, will give the keynote address of the day in the Page Commons Room of Cotter Union. The Center, located in Montgomery, Ala., is internationally known for its legal victories against white supremacist groups, its tracking of hate groups, its sponsorship of the Civil Rights Memorial and its tolerance education program. Dees and the Center founded Klanwatch, which tracks the activities of more than 500 racist and neo-Nazi groups, and the Militia Task Force, which monitors more than 400 militias and other groups espousing extreme antigovernment views.

At 7 p.m. in Lorimer Chapel there will be a community musical celebration, “Music and More.” The program will include musical performances, poetry readings and stories by members of the Colby and Waterville communities. Janice Swinton of Waterville’s Freedom Café will be a guest performer.

On Sunday, January 14, there will be a 24-hour video marathon in tribute to King starting at noon in the Pugh Center of Cotter Union. Videos shown will include the Eyes on the Prize series about the American civil rights movement.